Memories of Chicago
by AshleyGraham-Crackers
Summary: Twilight. Set back in the 1920's. Slightly different circumstances, a beautiful summer night... What will unfold? You already know the story. But hear it. A different way. BellaxEdward. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Hi! I know this is quite the turn from my usuall writing.. but I was oddly inspired by this.. I did my research and have really loved what I've come up with. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! So for starters, this story is set in 1929 in Chicago. I know edward is still a new vampire around this time.. But I'd like to thin (in my mind) that he has control and is still amazing. So basically Isabella is living in Chicago... where she later meets edward. So basically twilight with a twist and an earlier setting. I hope you like itttt! (heart heart heart) Read and review, people xoxoxo

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Getting dressed is always such a tiring process in the morning. For me, it usually involves waking up at some un-godly hour to only spend that time in-front of a mirror only to have to change several hours later due to the smothering heat. But that's the struggled of an18 year-old girl around here. You dress up, look your best because who knows, the man of your dreams might be out there, ready to sweep you off your feet and marry you. But I'm not a typical girl. I don't like getting dressed up. I quite honestly hate it. I really have no interest in anyone…Actually, I should say, no one is interested in me. I'm clumsy, awkward and hardly considered beautiful. I have straight, dark brown hair that falls to my lower back. My eye brows are dark, straight, and plain – honestly, you'll find everything about me pretty plain.- I'm slender, I have no curves – which is really what is wanted in a woman's body now a days. But if I cared I'd be wearing one of those dreadful bustle pads. Thankfully, I really don't care about my appearance that much. So I don't wear one! – I have a rather small frame, actually, A heart shaped face, thin nose and a pointed chin. My lips are a little to full for my face, though, the top one just a bit larger than the bottom one... Oh, my eyes are brown - again not a pretty color like, green, or even blue - but brown, a light brown. They are lighter than my hair, but not by much. So all in all I'm average, very average… That's really the only word I know to describe myself. I supposed, really, that the only unique thing about me would be my skin color. I'm very pale. Not in a pretty way like those fair skinned blue-eyed girls you see. No, no, no. I'm pale as if I haven't seen the sun for ages… Funny thing is I love the sun… I'm outside quite frequently… But I never really tan, just turn that awful red color causing me to have to wear several layers of clothes to keep me shielded. Once again, bringing us back here… to me… getting ready to start my day. So, pulling on my chemise, I begin the laboring process to look presentable.


	2. Chapter 2

Pulling my petticoat down further around my waist I tried to get comfortable. Which is hard… wearing as many things as I am… but we have to "look good" as my mother would say. To bad she isn't here to see me now… looking as good as I can be. I really hope I don't look as awful as I feel. The constant chatter around me proved that I wasn't the center of attention… as usual. So my looks obviously weren't terrible. My friends seemed enveloped in other topics. Thank goodness. Their petty worries about new music and new flings were enough to distract them from my discomfort. So I continued to fumble idly with the hem of my blouse only to have my attention called to by my friend, Jessica. I looked up at her as she spoke, trying to keep a smile on my face and look as happy as possible.

"So, Isabella, have you been out to hear the latest music, lately? It's simply enchanting!"

I thought for a moment… attempting to come up with a suitable answer that would end the question and turn the topic away from me again.

"No, honestly I haven't lately. I really have not had the time… with cooking for Charlie… You know I don't get out much"

I hated admitting that… It made me seem bland, un-interesting. All my friends were out there dancing, going to parties, courting young man and I was stuck at home, making sure my father had meals on the table and clean clothes everyday. Gosh, what an exciting life I live. I sighed to myself as Jessica said something that I really didn't care enough to pay attention to. I sat there… went though all the motions of listening, shook my head, nodded at appropriate moments. Told Angela that her new skirt was gorgeous… Although I honestly hadn't noticed it was new until Jessica mentioned something about it. Shows how much I pay attention to what I wear. I wasn't even wearing the "proper" socks today… I never do. To much to put on… to much to remember. I have to much to deal with already. I have no time for petty fashion needs.

So the minutes passed. I continued to sit there. Drinking glass, after glass of lemonade, hoping by some wish it would make time go by faster… But for anyone who thinks silly things like that…they are quickly faced with the realization that every time they want time to move faster… It in fact moves much, much slower. The conversation changed, lunch was brought out, and finally to my joy… the brunch was over. I gave everyone a quick hug, said my polite goodbyes, and stepped of Jessica's covered porch into the Chicago heat of the summer.

Although the walk from my house to Jessica's was short I enjoyed it immensely. I stared up at the endless blue sky above me, counting every cloud and loving how the warmth of the sun brought heat to my face. So, really, I was not paying attention to where I was walking and was in fact taking up much of the sidewalk… It wasn't a surprised when I walked into someone…

With my clumsy-ness and all, I stumbled backwards, but a hand reached out and caught me, a cold hand. I stared a head at the man in front of me… Not fully taking in his looks until I was standing straight again. His eyes pierced right though my soul… Right down to my core… It was as if they unlocked something inside me that I had never experienced until that moment. Their strange, yellow color had me in wonder. My mouth hung open unattractively as I continued to stare at him.

"I'm quite sorry." His voice rang out like bells, deep, yet beautifully musical. "I must not have been watching where I was going. I hope you're alright, miss."

The look he was giving me then was strange… It was like he was expecting something… but not getting it. He honestly looked frustrated. I just accounted that to the fact that he had just gotten run into.

"No, no." I said, although my voice was somehow lost… and quite "It's my fault I was… "

I stood there, thinking to what I had been doing only moments before… Was I really this forgetful?

"It's quite alright" He said, his voice slightly clipped. "I'm sorry again" He said this as he walked past me, quickly I might add… as though I had just ruined his progress and completely ruined his day…

He… He doesn't know me but yet… he could be so rude! Why was I starting to cry? I mean, really. I didn't even know the man. Why should I care what he thought about me…

But I did care. For some, unknown reason… It really hurt me. His voice was so harsh… And that look he gave me was so… strange… that it could only be accounted to the fact that I was horribly ugly, and he didn't even want to look at me… I whipped my eyes, clenching my fist together as I continued to walk home. It didn't matter… no matter how much it hurt… I'd probably never see him again, anyways.


	3. Chapter 3

Cleaning the house went buy much faster with a lull of classical music to push me ahead. The silent tinkling of the piano always calmed me after a stressful day. I was cleaning to push my mind away from what had happened outside earlier today with that… man… I continued dusting, not letting my mental thought get any farther with it. After a few minutes of this I wasn't really cleaning anymore, I was actually dancing, or more accurately put, attempting to dance. I had never been good at it. After all being clumsy doesn't help. So I just stuck to twirling around my kitchen in silence. But in my imagination I was dancing with a tall, handsome young man. He had dark, red hair… Almost copper in color… His hand in mine was cold, and the one on my back sent chills up and down my spine. I stared up into his eyes as he led me in dance effortlessly… almost like we were floating. Although they had been much darker before his yellow eyes now looked down on me with-

I stopped suddenly, jerked from my fantasy and plunged my self back into reality.

Why was I thinking of him? The rude man who I had bumped into earlier… I didn't even know him enough to fantasize about him… He obviously wanted nothing to do with me. So why was I so stuck on it… even if he was incredibly gorgeous.


	4. Chapter 4

Everyone loves music… Don't they? I mean, I know quite well that I love music. But my father on the other hand seems completely unmoved by the new, exciting music of our time. So I was surprised when he came home and told me to take the day to go to a few dance places. Or night clubs, as one might call them. Even though this sounded fun it also had me worried. I couldn't dance… I didn't have any pretty dresses… And well, I was just plain boring and I'm sure everyone would find my dancing odd and ungraceful. But try as I may to tell my father that I was content here, reading, he continued to push the idea. Maybe he was right… I wasn't having enough fun. And sitting around reading was not what a young girl should be doing at this time.

So… I grabbed the only fashionable dress I had. It was off white – covered in beading - tight-fitting around the top, and hung fairly loose around my hips. Some might call it one of those trend setting flapper dresses. But I was hardly up with the times. My hair wasn't in the stylish bob… and I really didn't wear much make up. And I didn't find smoking much of an interest either. I had to face it. Women were cutting lose… and I just didn't fit in.

Although it was still fairly early… music rang out through the buildings in the city. Although most of the places around were legal… there were a few bars that I knew of that weren't. But I tend to stay away from those. So, walking into a small building I look around the packed room. People in tight spaces… dancing in ways that used to be considered morally wrong, the girls dresses flinging around as they moved. I sighed, keeping close to the wall as I watched them for a time. I was beginning to feel out of place when a man looked at me for a moment before sauntering over to me, stopping just inches from my face with a broad, white smile on his lips.

"Well, dear, you sure look lost. Mind if I have a dance with you?"

His closeness scared me… So I looked for any means of escape as he continued to look me over, touching my arm before I pulled it away.

"N-no… I… I'm here with a friend and-" Thankfully, at that moment, someone I did know walked through the door.

"There she is now" I slid away from him as I spoke, not even bothering to say a polite goodbye… or anything at all for that matter. I rushed over to Angela, glancing back at the man to watch him walk away, unmoved, right over to another girl.

"Oh, Angela I'm so glad that I finally see someone I know here… It's horribly embarrassing. I don't know how to dance and… I'm honestly very nervous" I laughed quietly, trying to somehow shrug off this uneasy feeling I had…

"I mean… Now at least I have someone to talk to…"

She smiled, patting my shoulder before leaning in to speak. Angela was usually very quite. So I understood that her voice wouldn't carry over the music.

"I know… The only reason I come is because I feel like I have to… Let's go sit okay?"

I nodded, relieved that I no longer had to stand in the corner… Hoping that if I watched these girls long enough some of their dance ability would magically come to me… But that was stupid.

So I sat with Angela for awhile, letting my foot tap to the beat of the swing and jazz song.

We were leaning in close, unable to really talk privately in here due to the music. But it was nice for a change, to be around other people… Although I still felt completely alone… Like all these people here were in a different world completely… And I… stood on my own island. But as we continued talked, I felt and uneasy wave of emotion ride into my core, causing me to have chills… and even goose bumps.

"Jessica was telling me there is a new man around where we live…."

"Oh" trying to pull of the 'I'm not really interested' tone. But ended up sounding –for some reason- completely scared…

"Yes, She said he's quite easy on the eyes. I'm sure she said he also had a thing for her… But I really think she thinks that about every man… She always throws herself around. I can hardly find a good guy without her stepping all over my toes to get to him"

She sighed… Looking at the table… and honestly I knew just how she felt.

Jessica was the type of girl you wanted to be. She had the dresses, the hair, and the face.

She wore quite a bit of make-up and smoked… I'm sure she even drank, as many girls did now. But every man I had ever considered was soon swept off their feet by her. And she would cling to them until I lost interest and then she'd move to another. I know she had done this to Angela several times to… And I felt bad for her.

So, I grabbed her hand, looking her straight in the eye as I smiled "You have just as much of a chance with him as she does… I mean, look at you! You're absolutely stunning! Anyone would be envious of you… You just have to talk to him, Angela. Don't let her slink off with him"

In a way, I was upset that I was even saying this. I was also jealous that he supposedly had a "thing" for Jessica… Wait, why was I jealous… I didn't like him…


End file.
